


Status: I̶n̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ Complicated

by koshinwonie



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 09:41:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20338045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koshinwonie/pseuds/koshinwonie
Summary: Chanyeol moves out, Sehun moves in, Jongin can't speak and then enters his family.





	Status: I̶n̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ Complicated

The day Chanyeol moved out to ‘further his’ stupid ‘career’ Jongin vowed to never get a roommate again. In fact, Jongin was so adamant about living alone that he had banned Chanyeol from visiting unless he stopped trying to propose prospectus partners. The whole ‘living alone, heart unbroken’ charade lasted a good month following his abandonment by Chanyeol. However, as he sat reading both his electric bill and rent letter, Jongin decided that staying alive trumped his pride because holy shit did he need a roommate. It didn't take long for him to be posting advertisements on every website he could find, forever refreshing his emails for his savior to come. He had become so desperate (and close to getting kicked out) that when Chanyeol suggested he posted some notices around the city Jongin thought it was actually a good idea. 

("You've been glued to your phone for ages, come on~" Chanyeol complained as he sat watching Jongin scroll through his phone during dinner. 

"Don't even try to complain hyung, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be in this situation!"

"Why don't you just put some flyers up around town or in some shop windows? At least you all get actually leave the house then- Ow ow ow I was joking." He winced as Jongin full-on whacked him at his jab and thought it was best not to bring up him moving out for the sake of his own safety.)

That conversation was what ultimately lead Jongin to the cafe at the bottom of his building with a stack of hand-drawn handouts. In hindsight, putting up an advertisement in his own building probably wasn't the best way to get his name out there, especially considering the fact that barely anyone stayed thereafter they ordered their drinks. But this why he didn't technically have to prove Chanyeol right and get fresh air so it seemed like the best option at the time. The familiarity of the shop was comforting and he knew the owner well enough that he trusted no weirdos would be allowed to take his number so it did make the most sense. 

"Nini," the Chinese man behind the solitary till called out after seeing him walk in. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages." There was only one other person in the cafe and he looked like he was asleep so Jongin assumed it was safe to distract Yixing from his job as any good friend would. "Xing I was here yesterday." Yixing dismissed Jongin with a wave of his hands and gestured for him to take a seat.  
"You used to live here when you were studying, I get lonely now." He wasn't exactly wrong there. Jongin would spend hours trapped under a mountain of paper and study guides, his only way out was the over-friendly coffee bringer.

"Don't remind me, I'm still recovering from the lack of sleep," Jongin watched hypnotized as Yixing poured designs of milk into a cup. "But I was wondering if I could leave some flyers here?"

"Hmm? Flyers?"

"Yeah-" Jongin laughed stiffly, trying to avoid Yixing's worried eyes. "I kinda need to find a flatmate. Like, asap." He didn't need to tell him about Chanyeol abandoning him, he had been Jongin's main outlet of frustrating and his source of free sympathy coffee. So it wasn't really a surprise when Yixing walked over to him and ruffled his hair before handing him over a hot chocolate with milk flowers. "Anything to help my little Nini."

"Ugh hyung you know I hate that name!" 

Yixing gave a second ruffle for good measure and hummed at Jongin's protests. "I'll make sure I approve of whoever takes one, don't worry," The front door chimed and Yixing sprung up on cue. "Now go pester someone else only paying customers can stay this long." With that Jongin was shooed out of the cafe, but not before he glanced back at the evidently sleeping man in the corner booth. Now Those were some nice shoulders.

"Jongin stop eyeing up my customers!" He gave Yixing a sly smile before dandering back upstairs. Now, he thought to himself, when was my first draft due again?

-  
Jongin nearly flung himself off of the sofa when the front door swung open at bloody 2.30am and mentally readied himself to die half-naked, curled into a ball on the floor. Dignity? Overrated. When a couple of minutes had past and he was still breathing, he decided that this was his best chance. If he sprinted he might just be able to escape without being murdered - ok on the count of three 1 he hurries to stand up and detangle himself from his mountain of blankets 2 he notices the hottest serial killer in history looking at him like he was the killer in this situation 3 he notices the hottest serial killer in history looking at him.

“Um hi? Kim Jongin?” Jongin manages a small screech in response as he tries to wrack through his brain and find out why there was a hot murderer in his living and why is he talking to him. “Right, well I’m Ooh Sehun? We meet last week, I’m meant to be moving in today...” The tall, hot apparently-not-a-serial-killer stares at him for a few more moments (probably waiting for Jongin to act like a normal, rational adult) and all he gets in response is a grown-ass 24-year-old man pretending to be a statue. Great first impression Jongin, really going well here. 

“Nice underwear by the way,” Sehun says as he walks further into the apartment while Jongin has his second mental breakdown realizing he hasn’t cleaned in a week. And as he takes a quick glance down wondering what Sehun was talking about, he feels a third breakdown coming along nicely. You have got to be kidding me. Pikachu boxers smiled mockingly up at him.

“Ye-yes um,” he internally cringed as he heard his voice crack, “room, left? two am? hi?” Jongin rambles through every response his brain can produce even though he is still half asleep and even though he still hasn’t recovered from his near-death experience but Mr Ooh Sehun seems too preoccupied hauling in four suitcases to notice his failing attempts of a welcome. Within five minutes Sehun had managed to decipher the terrible directions to his room and seemed to have retreated for the night leaving a still standing, still half-naked Jongin questioning his life decisions. 

Jongin awoke properly a few hours later to the smell of bacon dancing throughout the apartment seriously considered the idea that he did get murdered last night - I think I'm in heaven. Sauntering into the kitchen he came to the conclusion that he most definitely had died and gone to heaven because the sight before him was making him drool. All he could do was stand motionless at the man making a bacon buddy in his kitchen. He was dressed in, what looked like a very expensive sheer black suit with gelled back hair and legs for days. Yup, definitely in heaven. 

The events of last night came flooding back as hot-random-bacon man turned around and eyed Jongin up with a look he couldn't quite decipher.  
"Sorry I didn't leave you any, you didn't look like you were going to get up any time soon," Sehun mumbled as he finished his bun. "I leave for work pretty early in the mornings so I'll leave any food that can be reheated." Jongin nodded absentmindedly still unable to speak as he tried to fight against his blush. After putting his plate in the sink Sehun grabbed his briefcase and headed before the door, not before stopping to ruffle Jongin's hair with a sly grin. "I look forward to living with you Nini." Jongin watched the door close behind him and felt his now even more tousled bed hair. What just happened? 

*Ding*  
He pulls his phone out of his pocket to see 'Yeolie' flashing across his screen with a constant flow of ':(' emojis underneath his name.

Yeolie  
Jongin-ah  
:((((((  
:((((((((  
:((((((((((

ongin  
wut do u wnt 

Yeolie  
How are you a writer but so bad at spelling???  
There's a new guy starting today  
I forgot a gift  
He's going to hate me  
:(((((((((((((  
:((((((((((((((((((

Jongin  
he's not going to hate u hyung  
I doubt he'll even care <(^>^)>

Yeolie  
:((((((((((

Jongin  
omgggg my new roommate moved in  
last night????  
and he called me nini??  
what the fuck????

Yeolie  
Awwww  
I've told you before, you just  
look like a nini  
Is he hot????

Jongin  
ew hyung  
shouldn't u be working????

He closed his phone with a sigh, taking Chanyeol's lack of response as a sign to try and get ready for his productive day ahead. (He spent his entire day attempting to stalk Sehun online, very productive indeed.)

A few months later

As the empty word document glares at Jongin for the fifth time in two days, Jonign decides he needs a well-deserved break. That’s how he ends up buried under a fort of blankets in his shared living room with no choice but to re-watch Goodfellas for the nth time to try and find even a small ounce of inspiration before his deadline his due (he doesn’t). It is in this fine predicament that Jongin does not let his mind wander and where he comes to the completely relevant conclusion that he didn’t know much about his roommate. They had been living together for the longest five - going on six - months of his life, all but tiptoeing around each other like they were a different species. To be more accurate Jongin was the only one who was tiptoeing, Sehun seemed oblivious to any social situation or maybe he simply didn’t care about Jongin? It’s not like they are obligated to suddenly become best friends just because they both live under the same roof. Though come to think of it, Sehun has never really brought back any of his friends to their apartment or even mentioned anyone other than his thesis mentor. Considering the fact that Jongin practically drags Chanyeol over three or four days a week it wouldn’t be illogical to question whether Sehun has a social life, aside from him never being home - but he’s always on his phone so he must have someone. And Jongin certainly does not wish that he was Sehun’s someone, being the literal definition of tall, dark and handsome has absolutely no influence on his curiosity about his personal life. None. Nada. Nil. So why do you keep thinking about hi-

“Please tell me you have not spent the afternoon building - oh my god what even is that meant to be?!”

It’s moments like these that Jongin regrets giving Chanyeol a key.  
With an exaggerated sigh he begins to shuffle out of his fort legs first and rethinking his life decisions when he hears a very misplaced thunk coming from the kitchen directly followed by a hurried, “Whatever you heard nothing happened I swear-” Smash.  
It was moments like these that Jongin really really regrets giving Chanyeol a key.

Said regret becomes even more evident when Jongin enters the kitchen and sees icing literally dripping from -what was- the only unstained counter in the flat and Chanyeol attempting to light a million candles on a cake that looked as if it was going through a really bad hair day.  
“What. The. Fuck. Hyung you know I’m on a diet,” Jongin made sure to whine with his best hurt puppy face, sure he may have eaten an entire dairy milk but that was brain fuel; completely different. “I can’t believe you’d bully me like that!”  
Chanyeol looked like he was about to die laughing and yup this is it. Jongin’s revoking best friend key rights. In between his gasps for air, he turns around to see a helpless looking Jongin which, like any dutiful and sincere friend, only causes him to laugh harder.  
“I hate you please get out of my house.” 

“It's not for you dumbass, it’s Sehun's birthday,” Chanyeol manages as he tries to calm himself down, “You’ve been living together for what? Six months? How do you not know his birthday-”  
And Jongin must be hearing this wrong because how the fuck does Chanyeol of all people know his secluded, untalkative roommates’ birthday and why the fuck did he bring a cake - is he celebrating with him?  
“Wow dude I was joking, you look like you’re about to go on a killing spree,” He was. Surely there has to be another Ooh Sehun because there is no way in hell that Park Chanyeol and his Ooh Sehun (oh god he did not just call Sehun his) are mates. There is no way in hell that Chanyeol, who rarely sees Jongin’s weird roommate, has managed to talk to him more than Jongin has. There is just no fucking way.  
“In case you’ve forgotten, Yeolie, we haven’t gotten past the ‘um hi? bye?’ stage - how the bloody hell do you know his birthday?” He knows he sounds bitter and he knows it isn’t Chanyeol’s fault that he’s such a likable person but this is just so unfair. 

To his surprise, Chanyeol almost looks guilty. “Oh did I forget to say? He works with me, joined the firm around the same time he moved here.”

“Oh,” Jongin does not feel like crying “So it really is just me he doesn’t like?” He really shouldn’t be surprised, they don’t seem to have any of the same interests and maybe he came off too desperate? Looking back he was always awkward around Sehun but he can’t exactly be blamed for that when Sehun is basically a walking, non-talking wet dream.

“He wouldn’t be living with you if he didn’t like you,” Chanyeol reasons, half distracted by trying to light the cake (and the apartment) on fire. “At the office, he’s super friendly, you just need to get to know him more.” 

Jongin groans. It’s not as if he’s spent the past five months of his life trying to ‘get to know him more’. He tells the flammable giant as much while shoving him out the way before he does actually start a fire with that lighter. “You are a disgrace to all smokers everywhere.” In fairness to Chanyeol, the candles definitely don’t want to light but at least he has the excuse of only using a lighter once a year.

“Look a few of us are coming round later to surprise him since none of his family live in Seoul, how about instead of hiding in your room the entire night,” Chanyeol’s pointed stare as he takes a seat at the too-small-a-kitchen-table leaves Jongin fighting a blush, “Come celebrate with us! There’s a new club opening a few blocks away the plan was to head down afterward if you fancy?”

Jongin bites back a ‘you can’t just take over my flat’ in favor of a sigh and a small nod. He guesses it would be a good opportunity to start a conversation and he hasn’t gotten drunk in at least six weeks. There shouldn’t be a problem, but Jongin being Jongin - 

“Is Junmyeon-shi coming?”

It isn’t like they are on bad terms, more that Jongin may have accidentally, possibly sent him nudes after Chanyeol had encouraged him to ‘stop being such a prude and talk to somebody’ and Junmyeon may have not so accidentally left him on read - ah that’s why I haven’t drunk in six weeks… 

“Of course he’s coming, it’s been six weeks since the uh,” Chanyeol tried to hide his snigger with a cough. Tried and failed. “Incident…I’m sure he’s forgotten all about it!” Sometimes Jongin is jealous of Chanyeol’s constantly optimistic attitude when it comes to very pessimistic situations. One time in their last year of university Chanyeol had decided that it was a smart idea to crash a freshman party and ‘relive their youth’. Reliving their youth left both him and Chanyeol egged, dripping in alcohol and without their house keys. Anytime Chanyeol is reminded about what happened his only response is ‘good times man, what a night’. Sadly, Jongin is not Chanyeol and he is definitely not ready to face Junmyeon again.

Chanyeol notices Jongin's scrunched up face and once again, has to stop himself from laughing at his friend's misery, "Come on Nini the main aim of the night is to get shitfaced, you'll be too drunk to care."

"You know I hate it that name!" Jongin whines and stalks over to Chanyeol, lighter in hand and aiming it a little too close for comfort at Chanyeol's newly dyed hair. In fairness, he is technically right, both he and Junmyeon will be drunk and that will hopefully mean unable to feel anything other than the need to puke. On the other hand, a drunk Jongin is an uncensored Jongin who has takes no responsibility for his actions. But then again-

"You promise Sehun will be more, I don't know - open? Talkative? Alive?" Chanyeol's boisterous laugh leaves Jongin pouting (again) and ready to dig himself a six-foot hole. Why do I have the worst consoling friends on the planet?

"Yes Jongin-ah," The smirk on Chanyeol's face as he snatches back his lighter leaves Jongin rolling his eyes and pushing him out of his seat, "I promise Sehunnie will be more open." Somehow, Jongin doesn't feel any more reassured. He does, however, feel the urge to not finish his novel and this does seem like the perfect opportunity to procrastinate. 

"Fine, fine but if you see Junmyeon come near you better be there to save my ass."

"Anything for my cute little Nini," Chanyeol leans down to try to pinch his cheek but only ends up wincing with a slapped hand and a punch to the shoulder. 

"Stop. Calling. Me. That," Jongin slumps down in the seat he expelled Chanyeol from, hands covering his face and a long whine involuntarily leaving him. "Why is everything in my life failing. Miserably. Emphasis on the miserably please." But his clearly endearing best friend has already made a safe haven on Jongin's couch and is enjoying the Good Fellas that Jongin was meant to watching right now instead of trying not to have another breakdown over Ooh Sehun (and maybe Junmyeon but let's not bring that up).

“Bring in the chips when you are finished wallowing in your self-doubt!” The intruder shouts in and Jongin decided that he really really really regrets giving Chanyeol a key.

It only took around an episode of Chanyeol shouting at the TV for Jongin to finally find the energy to peel himself from the table, throw Chanyeol a bag of chips (“Ow that was my head you sop!”) and collapse on a more comfy and acceptable place to contemplate his mistakes, his bed. Tonight couldn’t go that badly he might even discover why Sehun moved in at two in the morning all those months ago. Hang on - didn’t Chanyeol say Sehun worked at his firn? Jongin knew for a fact that Chanyeol made more than enough money to afford his own apartment, even if he did try to hide it when he saw his friend struggling to hold down an editor, so it’s only logical to assume that Sehun had an equally stable salary. Why did he need to share an apartment? It wasn’t like they lived in an expensive area either, far from it, and it certainly wasn’t the nicest of places. “Ugh,” he moaned, smothering his face with one of his pillows “I should have just stuck with accountancy.”

After a well-deserved nap and an extensive pep talk, he had successfully managed to change out of his lazy outfit and into a more party-appropriate attire - Jongin thought as he did not pose in the mirror. He was dressed in his favorite social clothes, a pair of tight black leather jeans contrasted by a loose-fitting beige shirt that was at least two sizes too big and underneath his shirt was a light brown jumper that sat just below his neck to emphasize his jaw. His hair was much less styled and a lot more bed-head but there was no way anyone was going to properly dress up. Chanyeol did describe it as a casual get together. A casual get together with his hot roommate who may or may not hate him and a guy who has seen, saved and ignored his dick. Super casual. 

Before he had the chance to unpep himself and make a run for it to the library, the sound of chaos was already erupting from the open-plan living room. Now or Never Jongin, you got this. He most definitely had not got this, which he realized about 0.3 seconds later when he walked out of his room and heard Junmyeon scorning, who Jongin assumed to be another coworker. “Baekhyun we are not doing shots - yes I know it’s Sehun’s birthday - yes I know you want to get shitfaced, aish can you at least wait till we get to the club? Please?” The desperation was evident in his voice and the so-called Baekhyun must have gotten the hint because the previous shouting had calmed down to a pleasant hum roaming about the apartment. 

As he snuck around the 6 person sofa, he seated himself at the very end next to Chanyeol and sank down conveying the room. There were more people than he’d expected, most of whom he didn’t recognize. In fact, the only person that he did remember was Junmyeon, who every couple of seconds was stealing a judging glance at him. Jongin sank down further and prayed that the couch somehow consumed him. “Chanyeol-hyung,” he half-whispered, half whined, “I don’t know anyone here, why am I here?” 

Chanyeol turned his whole body around to look down at Jongin pouting, puppy eyes on full display and his face portraying his embarrassment. “Because…” he sighed, “your roommate whom you haven’t properly welcomed yet is turning 26,” If Chanyeol was trying to make him feel even guiltier, boy was it working, “and when was the last time you went out? Think of this as a birthday/Jongin intervention party. Now be sociable or I’ll bring Junmyeonie over.” Without even waiting for Jongin’s protest he had turned back, laughing hysterically at some small guy to the right of him. God did he need a drink. Or maybe two. Or maybe to be anywhere but here right now.

“Where even is Seh-” Out of nowhere the door crept open and the room fell back into disjointed chaos, everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’ out of sync and horrendously out of key as Sehun stood by the door with a smile that made his eyes turn into crescents. Cute. Jongin noticed that he looked like he had just come back from a night out, supporting tousled hair and a slightly too unbuttoned shirt. Maybe tonight wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

By the time the cake had been brought out everyone was lightly buzzed and ready to head out to  
Sehun’s next birthday surprise. Everyone but Jongin that was. Never has he been known as someone who could hold his liquor so unsurprisingly, after a mere two bottles of cider he was already happy to lie down.

“Mmmh, this-” hiccup, “sofa-” another hiccup, “is super duper sleepable.” He moaned out, cuddling his nearest pillow as if his life depended on it. He wished his life did depend on him hugging that pillow and not his stupid book because it would be going a lot better.

“Jongin is it? You look cozy but Chanyeol-ah told me to force you out the door,” the small man said apologetically as he manhandled Jongin to the door. “I’m Kyungsoo by the way, Chanyeol’s boss.” That should have forced Jongin to act even a little soberer but all he could do was giggle and lean back against the surprisingly firm man who was pushing him out of the door. God help Chanyeol. “You should know,” Jongin loud-whispers, “But it’s a biiiiig secret ok? Chanyeol finds you cute! But Sh!” Chanyeol’s neck nearly snaps by the speed he looks at Jongin with, watching him get him fired with over-exaggerated shushing actions. Oh dear lord.

“Wow there buddy we haven’t even gotten to club yet and you are already off your head,” He nervously says more to Kyungsoo than to Jongin, as he grips Jongin’s arm in a way that screams ‘say another word to this man and I will murder you’ “I’m really sorry boss, I’ll take him off your hands. I hope he hasn’t been too much of a hassle!” Chanyeol ducks his head and tries to push Jongin away from his worst nightmare, without much success. “Chanyeol-ah call me Hyung, we are off the clock.” Chanyeol does not make a very unmanly squeal as he nods and pulls Jongin into one of the cabs lined up outside.

They sit in a not-so-comfortable comfortable silence, Jongin trying not to fall asleep and Chanyeol trying to fight his reddening face as they pull up outside of the club.

“Nini, no more drinking for you alright? And no more talking to my boss, please?” Chanyeol begs as he helps Jongin out the passenger side, “Let’s just have a nice, normal night out for Sehun’s sake.” Jongin can manage that. He can surely. This was for Sehun after all and he needs to make up for their disastrous first meeting (and disastrous ongoing meetings). “Ok Yeolie, just for you- but I’m not even tipsy.” He slurs as stands on his tiptoes in an attempt to peck Chanyeol on the cheek but nearly topples over. Maybe he was a little tipsy.

When everyone has arrived they are seated at a pre-booked a table in the corner of the room and Jongin can’t help but pout thinking about how Chanyeol’s never gone to this much of an effort for any of his birthdays. The place is nice, definitely too nice for Jongin as he scans over the drink menu and tries to not choke when he sees the prices next to them - I guess I am on water for the rest of the night then, bummer.

The table is halfway through their third round when a slightly (very) drunk Chanyeol raises from his seat, glass in hand and a conspicuous look taking over his face. "Ok-ok folks," he clears his throat but it turns into more of a choke. "As you all know we are here," Sehun squeals as Chanyeol stumbles over to his seat and drags him to the head of the table, "to celebrate our amazing new junior partners' 26th birthday. Happy birthday our little Sehunnie!" Everyone starts cheering and whistling as 'Sehunnie' (when did everyone apart from Jongin get so close to him?) whilst Jongin pretends not to feel as out of place as he does. 

Before he graduated he minored in Dance and Choreography, nightclubs were meant to be his getaway from reality but the pounding music and dimmed lights were suffocating him alongside the neverending legal conversations they kept trying to drag him into. The only thing keeping him from calling a cab and pretending he had a 'big author's meeting' the next morning was Sehun. Sehun who seemed to be the only other person who wasn't completely and utterly plastered. Sehun who was giving him a small smile and walking over to him...wait Sehun who was walking over to him. Ok, this fine, he can play cool. Chanyeol was beside him he's got thi- Chanyeol was not beside him repeat Chanyeol was not beside him, run Jongin run.

"Are you ok? You look like you are going to throw up." Sehun's angel-like voice interrupted his mindless panicking, reminding him that he was not dreaming and very much trapped. 

"Uhh," Smart Jongin, really putting your literature skills to use. "I'm going, to be honest, I only know one other person here besides Chanyeol, and long story short he's seen my dick. I feel a little out of place," he adds an awkward chuckle at the end to make it feel less heavy than it is because maybe Jongin is still a little drunk. He waits for Sehun to stare him down again with his judgy bloody eyes then saunter his perfect bloody legs back down to his seat and talk to anyone but him. What he doesn't expect is for Sehun to nearly fall over laughing, leaning on Jongin's shoulder for support whilst Jongin thinks he has fallen a tiny bit in love.

"So that's why Junmyeon-Hyung has been looking at you weirdly all night?! I was wondering why you looked so uncomfortable." 

"Oh shit," Jongin scolds himself under his breath. "I'm so sorry this is meant to be your fun party, I promise I'm not usually like this I'm just a bit…" He tries to find Chanyeol and signal him to save his ass but the incompetent giant is nowhere to be seen.

"No it's nice to know that I'm not alone here," he lets out another breathtaking laugh and for the first time that night, Jongin finds himself laughing as well. "I'm not a massive fan of large crowds, I'm very much out of my comfort zone as well." Sehun takes the empty seat beside him and they fall into a comfortable silence, Jongin sat in awe over Sehun's smile whilst Sehun fell deeper into the pleasant hum around the table. He couldn't help but think that this was all a bit too domestic.

Sehun’s smile falters for a moment as he turns to look at Jongin, seemingly contemplating whether or not to speak. "This is the longest conversation we've had y'know?" Sehun breaks their silence. The expression on his face makes the statement? question? feel a lot more important than Jongin originally took it and leaves Jongin feeling as if the air’s been sucked out of the room, mouth gaping in shock as Sehun looked down at him with furrowed eyebrows. Yeah no shit dumbass you make me feel like a pubescent boy and you never want to tal - Before he has the chance to muster up a less embarrassing response, the small puppy-like man, who Sehun had spent most of the night attached to, dragged Sehun towards the crowded dance floor shouting to the rest of the group to 'get lost or get laid'. Which led everyone scrambling after him like a herd of sheep. Jongin cringed at the sight and questioned for the nth time that night why oh why he agreed to come out. Though seeing Chanyeol nearly fall flat on his face after Kyungsoo called him Channie was definitely something he would have regretted missing.

What he definitely did not regret missing was the fact that he was alone at the table. Alone. At the table. With. Junmyeon. He was abandoned by everyone except the one person he would’ve wanted to have abandoned by. "Jongin-ah," Junmyeon says as he walks over to him. Maybe if he closes his eyes he'll wake up in bed and this will have just been a bad dream? "I think we need to talk." Jongin definitely did not need to talk, the only thing Jongin needed to do at this exact moment is to go. But as Junmyeon takes Sehun's place beside him and looks at him dead in the eyes, Jongin is once again reminded of how badly he has been trapped tonight.

"You didn't come to my housewarming party last week and I didn't see you at the firm's Christmas do." He looks more hurt than Junmyeon expected, his brown eyes boring daggers in Jongin's heart. But this is not his fault. Junmyeon ignored him! Well more specifically ignored a certain part of him, but the part still stands! He didn't expect Junmyeon to suddenly confess to him but some acknowledgment would've been appreciated? Is that too much to ask for?

Junmyeon gave a groan at Jongin's frozen state and resisted the urge to rip out his hair out of frustration. "Jongin talk to me," he pleaded, "you can't just throw away two years of friendship over one awkward moment, can we please just forget about it?" The urgency in his voice almost made Jongin fall for it, and he did have a point. Junmyeon was Jongin's first proper 'adult friend's after graduating and he did always side with him when Chanyeol was picking on him.  
("I think you are the worst writer I've ever met, Chanyeol randomly announced one day when Jongin had brought his lunch to him at work.  
"Chanyeol I'm the only writer you've ever met?"  
"Exactly!"  
Junmyeon had walked over and slapped Chanyeol on the back of the head and given Jongin and an impromptu pinch of his cheek. "Leave your friend alone Chanyeol-ah, I'm sure I could at least Jongin to not spell 'legal' as 'ligel' for one of my client presentations." That interjection not only shut Chanyeol up but also gave Jongin enough ammunition for years.) Maybe Junmyeon was right, maybe he was acting a little childish over the situation. If Junmyeon could move on then there's a reason why Jongin couldn't, at least for one night. He totally was not doing it for Sehun 'pfft', crazy thought.

So Jongin did it. He sucked up his embarrassment and his pretend pride and didn't curse Chanyeol for breaking his one promise. "Do you uh, do you want to go dance?" Junmyeon gave him a sympathetic look that sent Jongin into a mental spiral.  
"Maybe some other time? I promised my fiancee I'd be home in time for Happy Families…" he cleared his throat and was clearly struggling to find a way to leave this conversation enough that even Jongin, the worst person reader on the planet, could see him trudging through the best way to say goodbye.

"Don't worry about it Hyung! I need to go make sure Chanyeol isn't getting trampled to death down there," he really hoped his awkward laugh was as successful as it was on Sehun on Junmyeon as he scanned his face for some sign of guilt. A fiancee? Seriously? Jongin was definitely fucking off Chanyeol's advice, he needed another drink. Instead of guilt, all that flashes across Junmyeon's face is a relief as he pinches Jongin's cheek and practically runs out of the club. God, he needed that drink.

He walks down towards the dance floor (totally not heading towards the bar) scanning the room for Chanyeol. This is all basically Chanyeol's fault. He's the one who persuaded Jongin to come to this stupid gathering. He's the one who was secretly friends with the one guy Jongin wanted to talk to. And most importantly he's the one who left him alone with Junmyeon who is getting married. 

The only thing that's keeping him from being more depressed than he already is, was the feeling of the music vibrating through the boxed room. Being forced to face Junmyeon was horrible but being away from the party of anxiety and free from the pressure of his writer's block did make him realize that he hasn't actually had a proper break in weeks and this was as good a chance as he was going to get. Sure he and Chanyeol would go out for dinner every once in a while but he hasn't gone out dancing in months. It was a club after all and they were here to have fun, there couldn't be any harm in letting go. Plus he couldn't find Sehun or Chanyeol for them to hold it against him. Just one tiny dance wouldn't hurt…

That ‘one tiny dance’ is how Jongin finds himself four shots down and grinding up against a stranger. ‘It's more exciting when it's nameless' he had said and Jongin was not about to argue with his main Sehun and Junmyeon distraction, so nameless he was happy to be. The man was sporting a classic man-bun and a mesh jumpsuit that in any normal situation would’ve made Jongin gag but with no other choice, he had to force himself to get past it. The guy had a nice laugh at least, but somewhere between his second and third shot, he couldn’t stop comparing it to Sehun’s. It was almost as if he closed his eyes, he could pretend it was Sehun even for a second. Wobbling back to the bar for his fifth shot of the night after nameless found some other, more flirtatious guy to stick his tongue down his throat he began to feel slightly guilty for abandoning Sehun’s party. Sure they may have left him first but this night was for Sehun, not Jongin. So with an exasperated sigh, he scrambled to get his phone out of his pocket and find Chanyeol but nearly had a panic attack when he realized he was just grabbing fabric. “That dickhead stole my phone!” This was not happening. This was not happening. Snapping his head back to the dance floor, he gave any man-bun wearer the dirtiest look he could manage. “What am I meant to do now? Where is everyone?” Was all he could think and for the second time that night, Jongin felt like crying.

The music got louder as he pushed his way through the mass of sweat-soaked bodies and towards the table they had all used at the start of the night. But as he neared the table his heart sank. There was a mass of people sat shouting and drinking but none of them he recognized. Everyone had actually gone. God, he was going to butcher Chanyeol whenever he gets his hands on him. ‘I guess I have no other choice’ Jongin thought as he headed for the neon exit sign ‘I hope Chanyeol’s directions were right for once.’ To Jongin’s extreme surprise, the directions were right. The club was a mere ten-minute walk from his complex and a fairly straightforward walk at that. Of course, it is Jongin so it’s only expected that he went the wrong way once. Mabe twice. 

All he could think about was his oh so attractive bed and erasing this night from his memories. Though as he neared his front door he had to stop himself from overthinking everything that had happened. Why was it all turning out to be so complicated? Why did he have to be social? Jongin did not have the brain or will power to shift through his endless questions and felt a wave of relief as he finally opened his front door. 

Not to his shock, this feeling didn't last. The sight before him sent his heart and mind racing almost immediately. Sehun was asleep, upright on the sofa with Jongin's favorite blanket lazily thrown across his torso. Did he wait up for me?  
He tiptoed closer to inspect the past-out figure when something out of the corner of his eyes had him rushing to the kitchen. After (way too) much difficulty Jongin re-entered the living room but this time, he was hunched over holding a lit birthday cake and singing a bit too loudly in order to wake Sehun up. God, I feel so stupid.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you  
Happy birthda-"

"AHH!" Sehun screamed out, very close to falling off the sofa the same way Jongin had all those months ago and Jongin did not find it adorable. It took Sehun a few more seconds to properly wake up and notice Jongin standing there with a half-melted cake and with the most vulnerable expression he's seen him wear.

"Wha-what's happening?" Jongin really tried his hardest to not focus on how rough his sleep covered voice sounded.

"I didn't really, I mean I hadn't well, I..." Jongin took a deep breath and realized that he himself didn't actually know what he was doing. Goddamn drinking. "I didn't get the chance to properly celebrate with you when we were out, and then I saw Junmyeon and I lost everyone and-"

"Jongin," Sehun's voice cut through his rambling as a genuine, eye creasing smile overtook his face. "Thank you. Honestly," He patted the seat beside him as Jongin set the cake down on the coffee table. "Chanyeol was really worried about you, I promised him I'd make sure you were ok when you get back."

Jongin found himself zoning out as Sehun spoke in favor of admiring his sleepy state. His hair was stuck up and his eyes were verging on puffy and all Jongin could think was how cute he looked with Jongin's blanket. Come to think of it, that blanket looked really comfy (and so did Sehun).

"Jongin? Earth to Jongin?" Was the last thing he heard as he collapsed over Sehun, small snores leaving his mouth every few seconds. Sehun stared down at him curiously, hands dancing lightly over his scruffy brown hair before closing his eyes himself after hearing Jongin murmur out 'I mike yourb voiceb'.

It didn't take long for Jongin to wake up alone on the couch with a pounding headache and the urge to throw up. He tried to think back to Sehun's party but can't remember anything past getting ditched by Junmyeon. Oh God Junmyeon’s getting married. Maybe going back to sleep would cure his embarrassment and fix his hangover?

'Jongin I swear to God if you don't open this door within five seconds I will knock it down, don't test me." A voice shouted from outside that left Jongin groaning as he rolled off the sofa. "5,4,3,2…" Jongin took a step back as Minseok stormed into the living room, muttering profanities. It was moments like these when Jongin regretted getting an editor nearly as much as he regretted giving Chanyeol a key. Nearly.

"It's a week overdue Jongin. Do you hear me? A week," Minseok pinched the bridge of his nose as he paced around the sofa Jongin had retreated back to. "Please for the love Changmin tell me you've written something. Anything. Please, Jongin." The desperation in his voice left Jongin with his head hanging and unable to look him in the eye. This type of meeting had become their monthly ritual ever since Jongin had begged Junmyeon's old roommate to look over the first draft of his dissertation. When they first met Jongin would've had no clue that Minseok was a renowned editor and literalist if Junmyeon hadn't forewarned him. He was constantly in workout gear and had such a beefed-up body that anyone who saw him on the street would have assumed he was a fitness trainer or something. It was moments like these that he knew why Minseok kept in such good shape, Jongin thought as he watched the smaller man tear apart his desk in search for his first draft.

"Hyung~" Jongin whined. "Can we do this tomorrow, I'm seeing three of you right now." Ok, he wasn't that bad but he knew extremes had to be used to get Minseok of his back. Minseok stop abruptly and squared Jongin up and down, "You did not seriously go out last night knowing you had half a bloody book to right!" Nevermind even extremes couldn't save his ass now, unless…

"But it was for Sehun hyung," Jongin hoped the months of complaining and self-doubt over his roommate to Minseok during their 'writing's sessions had shown him how much this night meant to him. And by the way, Minseok's features soften proved Jongin right. Bingo.  
"I couldn't write because I couldn't stop thinking about him so I thought going out with him for a night would fix everything." It wasn't exactly a lie, Jongin did hope that going out would have solved his problems. What Minseok doesn't know can't hurt him.

The now significantly less angry Male (thank you Sehun) seemed to be taking pity on Jongin, if his heavy sigh was anything to go by. "Right. Fine we still have," he looked down at his watch and Jongin flinched as his eyes bulged out of his head. "Six hours, God help us, to get this book finished. You better pray that your hangover disappears in the next five minutes because you aren't getting any break with me." He resorted back to pacing and complaining over the state Jongin had left is workplace whilst Jongin cursed himself and tried not to crawl back to sleep.

"See," Minseok exclaimed a few hours later. "That wasn't that bad was it?" Jongin peered up at him briefly before throwing his himself back at their desk. There was no way he was speaking to Jongin right now. The same Jongin who had banged his head repeatedly against the table for a good 3 hours as they worked and Jongin expressed as much through the small but effective middle finger he raised. Using his wisdom Minseok took the small, annoying grunt Jongin gave as a sign of an agreement and slapped him on the back. "Now where's your food? I think I deserve a treat after single-handedly saving your job." Without lifting his head Jongin pointed towards the bottom drawer of his desk. If only he could sort out his social problems as well as his work problems.

Minseok spent all of forty seconds devouring Jongin’s favorite chocolate bar before taking advantage of Jongin’s hungover state in order to interrogate him… and ok maybe annoy him. What? He was only human! “So.” He drummed his fingers against the desk. “Did it work?”  
Jongin briefly lifted his head to give Minseok a confused glance “What now?”  
If he wasn’t in so much visible pain Minseok wouldn’t have felt that guilty about hitting him across the head but it was hard to ignore that little twinge as he heard Jongin wince. “You are a dumbass Kim Jongin, last night. Have you finally gotten over your silly crush?”

Now that caught Jongin’s attention. He sprang out, the headache was momentarily forgotten in order to give Minseok his most pointed glare. But for all his tough exterior his protests came out broken. “C-crush? Pffft, me? Crush? Sehun? I’m nearly 25, adults don’t do crushes. That’s, that’s,” his hands went around the world and back again while he continued his useless ranting. “... ridiculous.” Jongin learned against his chair fully smug in what should have been a victory. Yet as he hesitantly catches Minseok’s expression, he groans at the man's small smirk. “Please hyung,” he pleaded. “Let me have this one. I’ve got this, I do.” If there was one thing in the world Minseok did know, it was that Jongin definitely had not ‘got this’. But he wasn’t a monster, he could tell that Jongin was in no place for an emotional grilling, so Minseok let him off. As any good editor/most sensible/best looking/smartest friend would do. Though he did stick a post-it-note to Jongin’s laptop reminding him that he was fucked, and not in the way he would’ve liked.

Following Jongin’s unmoving state, Minseok packed away his notepad’s and showed himself out. Damn that kid is lucky he can write he thought to himself on the drive home, unable to stop himself from thinking about Jongin’s (quite hilarious) situation in his head. If only he knew.

-  
Jongin spent the next few days replaying his conversation with Minseok. And in doing so, avoiding Sehun. It wasn’t exactly hard to do, they never really hung out much in the first place. But as the days turned into a week he began to feel the effects of not being around the older one as much.

“Hyung, I miss him,” Jongin confessed to a work preoccupied Chanyeol over his lunch break

“You live with him how on earth do you miss him?” Chanyeol mumbled out, alongside a piece of tomato from his sandwich, visibly confused at Jongin’s statement.

“That’s not what I mean.” At the back of his mind, Jongin was slightly worried about the trauma he was creating because of the sheer amount of times he’s banged his head over the past month How else is he meant to combat stupidity?. “I miss birthday Sehun. And maybe actual Sehun. You see Minseok-hyung came over and ruined everything - well, fixed everything while ruining everything - and now I physically cannot be in the same room as Sehun without wanting to hide.” Chanyeol sat lost at Jongin’s rambling, mindlessly nodding along hoping it made him seem less confused. "Are you even listening?" The sorry look Chanyeol gave Jongin was enough for him to know the answer to that. 

"Have you tried talking to him?" Now it was Jongin's turn to stare at Chanyeol dumbly, the whole problem was that he couldn't talk to him. Where has he been?! "No, I don't mean something like 'what do you fancy for dinner ', you should ask him straight up if he has a problem with you." Jongin was definitely dreaming because there was no way his main confidence just fucked him over like that. His feelings over betrayal must have shown across his face since Chanyeol groaned frustratedly at him. "Jongin. You can't spend the rest of your life hiding in your own apartment. Talk. To. Him."  
Ok he did have a point. Then again he wasn't the one who had to follow through with it.

"Fine…But you are treating me to a whole fried chicken afterward."

"I don't think they do-"

"A whole. Fried. Chicken."

-

Sehun was about to die. If he had to listen to one more client complain about they themselves having an affair, he would have no choice but to jump out the fire escape. It wasn't as if his job didn't have its perks but never being able to leave before 10 pm, piled on top of the most self-centered clientele did make him question why he moved to Seoul in the first place. 

"Sehun-ah, coming out for drinks again?" Baekhyun chipped as he leaned against the door frame. Sehun groaned in response. Even if he wasn't being smothered to death by paperwork, the only thing he wanted in life right now was his bed. And maybe a small bubble tea. But mainly his sweet, comfy, beautiful-

"Um," Baekhyun coughed and threw Sehun a weird look. "You still there mate?" God, I hope not. "Sorry Hyung but I've got to finalize the Robertson report by morning," he gestured to the never-ending stacks of files surrounding him, supporting a sympathetic look for good measure. "Next time though." The small man studied him suspiciously before giving up with an exaggerated scowl. Baekhyun meant well, he really did, but Sehun's inability to say no meant they were not a compatible pair. Since Baekhyun had come into his life Sehun felt as if he was constantly fighting off a gruesome hangover.

Before he moved to the heart of Seoul, Sehun worked in the offices of the Kim Enterprise acting as Kim Jongdae’s shadow CFO. What had promised to be an amazing opportunity to explore the ins-and-outs of the business world had ultimately turned into Sehun becoming the actual CFO’s secretary whilst simultaneously tending to Jongdae's every beck and call. Exhausting didn’t even begin to explain it. Aside from the brutal workload and inhumane hours, the worst part was that he never had the chance to become more acquainted with his colleagues. Unlike the DoJin firm, no one in his old job dared to come near him in fear of being called out for ‘distracting him’ as many had been scolded before in the past. So if he thought about it, the work here isn't necessarily bad. In fact, the work here would have been his dream job (apart from the divorce cases) - underline would have been. 

He facepalmed himself when he realized the time and scrambled to grab his coat and briefcase. The second most important thing he learned working for Kim Jongdae was that if it wasn’t finished by midnight, it wasn’t getting finished. He remembered a time when he would’ve complained about being forced out of his own office with incomplete work, but right now there was nothing that could stop him from cantering out of the dreary building. 

By the time he reached the apartment, something occurred to him. He didn’t bring his keys to work today. He didn’t bring his stupid, bloody keys. Brilliant. So Ooh Sehun stood miserable outside the flat's door unable to knock in fear of waking Jongin up, waiting for some sort of solution to pop into his head. Ten minutes went by and nothing. ‘Please don’t hate me for this Jongin,’ he pleaded to himself as his fist collided with the only foreseeable way to sleep. Jongin opened the door just as Sehun suspected, a brown mop of hair threatening to cover his squinted eyes, dressed in a pair of faded blue joggers - I definitely woke him up. He looked as if he was trying to formulate a sentence but was too sleepy to get the words out, so Sehun swept in to save him. “I left my keys on the table this morning,” he said with a sheepish grin. “Sorry about waking you up, feel free to hit me when you're more functional.” One cheeky wee comment couldn’t hurt. 

Jongin still looked a bit dazed but ushered Sehun in all the same. As he did, he thought back to his conversation earlier with Chanyeol studying Sehun with a contemplative complexion and debating whether or not to bring it up. On one hand, Sehun looked more exhausted and dead than Jongin felt (which was very hard to beat) and he could only imagine how draining a 12-hour shift was. Though on the other hand when was he going to get an opportunity like this again? He barely saw Sehun in the mornings and when he did, Sehun was always out the door and Jongin still felt like he was dreaming. I mean, I could always get drunk again...

“You look constipated,” Sehun said bluntly. He had hung up his coat and was about to head off to bed when he noticed Jongin’s scrunched up face almost leering at him. The blush that crept up the sides of Jongin’s neck was enough for Sehun to stand his ground and relax against the living room wall, quite intrigued as to why he looked as if he was taking a shit. Jongin was clearly not as enthralled as Sehun over that detail.

“I’m,” How the fuck was he meant to respond to that? “I am constipated. Wait, not actually constipated! I mean- I meant- I’m word constipated.” He rushed to dig himself out of the hole he was digging, but if Sehun’s gobsmacked face was anything to go by, to no prevail.

“Word constipated?” Sehun repeated to himself.

“Word constipated,” Jongin affirmed. Do I really have to explain myself now? Falling back onto the sofa he prayed it would swallow him before this conversation was over. “It’s just- I’ve got this friend who um,” There was no way this was going to working holy - “Who recently got a new flatmate. But well, this ‘flatmate’ never wants to hang out or talk to her. Which was fine! Until she found out that the ‘flatmate’ was suddenly best friends with her own friends and she began to wonder whether she was the problem and… she just doesn’t know what to do.” He thought he had put enough emphasis that Sehun would’ve been slightly suspicious over his random story but when his rambling was met with silence for way longer than Jongin was mentally ready to handle, he began to question Sehun’s big fancy analytical degree. 

“Has she talked to her roommate about it?” Sehun broke the silence, but much to Jongin’s dismay, he didn’t seem to have caught on. 

“Why does everyone keep saying that,” He grumbled out, suddenly hyper-aware of Sehun taking a seat next to him. “Is um, what she um said to me.” Smooth recovery Jongin, real smooth. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Sehun’s hand slap his thigh. And he totally didn’t notice when Sehun forgot to move it from his leg after.

“Seems to me that whoever this person is, they don’t want to push any boundaries. I doubt it’s her fault if anything her roommate is probably just being cautious you know. It’s easier to make friends with people who don’t have the opportunity to slowly kill you with bleach or I don’t know.” With a squeeze of Jongin’s thigh and a small ruffle of his hair, Sehun stretched up and began walking to his room. “I’m gonna sleep for a thousand years, you don’t understand.” Before Jongin had a chance to process what had happened, Sehun had already shut his door. 

Not only did that not answer any of Jongin’s original questions, it created a whole new level of torture. There’s no way he could have missed Jongin’s hints right? But then he sounded more confused than Jongin was comfortable with for the entire conversation. “Umphugh.” He groaned into his hands before climbing back into his own bed. “Chanyeol was wrong. Talking does not help.” 

(As Jongin fell asleep he most certainly did not retrace where Sehun’s hands rested on him and he most certainly did not dream about it.)

-

Sehun’s mornings all started the same. He’d drown himself in black coffee and wait to see if Jongin would wake up before he had to leave for work. Sometimes he’d get lucky and the tanned, sleepy man would stumble out of his room just as Sehun was getting ready to go. Other times he had to force himself out of his seat before he was late to work when Jongin didn’t wander up to him like a lost puppy. Sadly, today was one of those days. He’d spent the last 10 minutes mopping about and hoping that his motivation for the day would appear but swiftly gave up on his dream when the clock struck 7 am. It was a Wednesday after all and Jongin was never up until this early on a Wednesday. That didn’t stop him looking back though, hoping, longing, waiting.

-

"Come on guys only 30 seconds to go, push it to your max!" Jongin was going to push himself to the max down six flights of stairs if the instructor wasn't going to shut up. He knew he looked like a dying pig, flushed face and panting like a maniac, and seeing the instructor smiling with no struggle breathing was just straight-up torture. After the cooldown was finished Jongin turned the TV of as quick as possible and stayed, lay flat against the wooden flooring of the living room. He didn't remember working out ever being that draining, then again, the last time he had done more than 20 minutes of exercise was when he was in university and trying to get laid (he gave up after a month of having to pay for the gym). I wonder if Sehun works out. From what Jongin could tell, he did look tone in his work shirts but-

"I've already texted you everything I know, I thought we agreed not to call?... I'm not dealing with this right now." A voice near argued outside the front door. Jongin was never one to eavesdrop therefore the fact that he lifted his head closer to the door was obviously a complete coincidence, he had just been working out so he needed to stretch. Yeah, he was… stretching. 

“Seriously I just want to go home and have lunch without dealing with someone else's crisis!” Closer to the door Jongin was able to recognize the voice, but a little too late as the door came swinging open and a very frustrated looking Sehun looked down at him with an annoyed expression. “Jongin? What are you doing on the floor? And why are you uh-” Sehun gulped as he watched a bead of sweat fall from Jongin’s messy hair and onto his collar bone. “shirtless?”

Well shit, why did Sehun have to catch him at the worst possible moments? He brushed himself off whilst rushing to stand up and avoid Sehun’s weirdly intense gaze

“Oh, um, I was working out.” He knew that that didn’t answer why he was on the floor but Sehun didn’t push it any further. Thank God. “Why are you home so early?” 

Sehun loosened the tie around his neck and grunted over to the sofa, looking more pissed off than Jongin has seen since that one time he overheard him screaming at a late delivery driver. 

“Don’t get me started. Chanyeol broke the printer, then the coffee machine broke and then my largest client decided to fuck off down to the Kim enterprise,” Jongin missed the sideways glance Sehun gave him as if he was trying to gauge his response. “I just need an hour away from everything.” That, Jongin understood. He had spent many a moon blocking all of his contacts and screaming out to no one when his first book deal had been shot down. Though the anger-filled scowl that had sat on Sehun’s face for the entire ordeal was slightly scaring Jongin out of offering his own sob-stories. (And maybe ever so slightly turning him on).

“...I recorded Footloose if you wanted to watch it with me?”

A small smile blossomed across Sehun’s face and Jongin blushed all the way down to his neck as he sank down next to him, urging himself not to think of their conversation last night and how good Sehun’s hand felt on his thigh. They spent 50 minutes fully emerged in the movie until Jongin felt something heavy landed on his lap. He looked down and heard rather than saw a snoring Sehun snuggling just below his crotch. Well then. This was a dilemma. Having a 6-foot man sleeping on you, whilst extremely adorable, was also extremely uncomfortable. It’s not like he could wake Sehun up either, with what had happened at work and whatever that phone call was about it was obvious he needed a break. But why did the break have to be physically on Jongin? 

With a deep sigh, he resorted to carding his fingers through Sehun’s surprisingly soft hair and let himself fall into dreamland. (Best way to deal with the pain is to not feel the pain, aka, sleep with Ooh Sehun.) Over the coming days, neither of them mentioned their little ‘moment’ and they fell back into their usual routine of formal greetings and Jongin tried not to long for Sehun to open up again. It was all going fairly well as well, or at least until Jongin came home a week later from a late-night book signing a tad too early for Sehun. 

He didn’t do it on purpose, he really didn’t. Technically it wasn’t his fault that Sehun had left his door open. Well, he did till the taller that he did leave a note on the fridge saying that he wasn’t going to be home till 2 am and it was only just past 12. Ok so maybe it was partially his fault.

As Jongin snuck into the living room ready to pass out, he was frozen by the sound of grunting further down the hall. His first reaction was that Sehun must have injured himself and being the good little roommate he was, he went down to Sehun’s room to make sure he wasn’t bleeding out on the floor or anything. When he peeked his head through the cracked open door Sehun was most definitely not in pain, quite the opposite. Snowlike, bare, broad shoulders faced Jongin, flexing and relaxing every other second. Maybe he was working out? As Jongin’s eyes trailed further down Sehun’s back he noticed a pair of fingers protruding from his thighs and witnessed with wide eyes as Sehun teased his rim, biting back a moan as he sunk two fingers in at the same time. Jongin felt his boxers grow tighter as Sehun became more vocal, moaning, head flung back to the stage where if his eyes weren’t screwed shut in pleasure he would’ve seen Jongin drooling against the door. Jongin knew he was peeving but Sehun’s quickening hand-actions had left him like a deer caught in the headlights. There was only so much more of the show he could take before he tiptoed to his own room and jerked off to the sounds of his roommate.

And that was the first time that Jongin heard Sehun come, he begged that it wasn't his last.

-  
"Chanyeol this is an emergency, get your butt over here n o w." Jongin scream whispered into his phone later that day.

"No ‘Hyung’? You are so mean to me Nini,"

"Fine, Hyung," he spat out. "Please get you ass down here?" 

Within 20 minutes Chanyeol was being shoved into Jongin's room, feigning worry in an attempt to hide his argument at his friend pacing round his bed. "I fucked up." Was all Chanyeol had gotten before Jongin had become stuck on repeat.

"You are going to burn a hole in your carpet there dude," Chanyeol pointed out leading Jongin to stop in his tracks and glare. "Just tell your best advisor what you did to mess up this time." 

And so Jongin did. Chanyeol's shocked face didn't last half as long as Jongin expected it, instead it had turned into a full on smirk. "Told you you liked him." Jongin was actually going to slap him.

"How is that all you've gotten from this! What if he saw me? How am I meant to look him in the eyes after this?" He collapsed face first onto his bed with Chanyeol sympathetically patting his back.

"You two are hopeless. Did you even talk to him after your last breakdown?" Chanyeol said smugly, he already assumed Jongin wouldn't have tackled his problems head first and his quiet whine was all he needed for confirmation. "If you had just listened to me the first time maybe you would've been more, how do I put it, involved in his 'fun time'..." Now it was Chanyeol's turn to whine as Jongin punched him in the gut in retaliation.

"Why are we friends."

"Because I'm a genius," Chanyeol said proudly, ignoring Jongin's if-looks-could-kill glare. "And I'm amazing at cuddles. All I can say is talk to him, properly this time."

(They spent the rest of day trying to murder each other in battle cry and stopping Jongin from wallowing in self pity.)

-  
"You got this!" Chanyeol had cheered him on before he returned back to his office, leaving Jongin alone with his thoughts until Sehun came home. If Sehun came home. He sat in the kitchen looming over at the clock. If he was going to talk to Sehun, he needed a plan, at least more of a plan than lying to him about having a friend in their exact same situation. Luckily it was a Friday, which meant one or two things. One - Sehun was going to crash at someone's place of after staying out or Two - Sehun was going to be home before Jongin had ordered his takeout feast. Hopefully he'll got lucky today and it'll be former. Totally to prepare for this amazing conversation they were going to have and not to avoid having it… totally. 

This was Jongin though and when was luck ever on his side? As soon as Jongin had placed his order a stressed Sehun pushed his way through the door, leaving Jongin mentally preparing his death. 

Sehun must have caught him staring since Jongin could see him physically forcing himself to relax. "Long day then?"

"Don't get me started." Was all Jongin had gotten in response before he felt the sofa dip beside him. It really shouldn't be surprising that he still felt incredibly awkward near Sehun, but Jongin groaned neither the less at how out of place he had become in his own apartment. Chanyeol was right (sadly). Enough was enough.

"Jongin are you o-"

"TherewasneveranyfriendImadeitupbecauseIcouldn'tfacetalkingtoyou!" Jongin blurted out in one breath, eyes still glued to the screen across from them. Even though Jongin didn't necessarily have a plan, the growing tension made him realise that what he just did should not have been it. Sehun had turned round to fully face him, taking in every muddled word Jongin had said with his tongue poking out like it always did when he was concentrating. 

"Say that again." Sehun said calmly, much calmer than how he was feeling. Jongin only shook his head like a stubborn child and refused to look anywhere in Sehun's direction.

"Are you 25 or 6?" This time Sehun sounded like he did during yesterday's phone, very very pissed off and Jongin refused to acknowledge the rush that shot through his body. Sehun was trying to scold him not turn him on. Focus Jongin.

"Do you like me?" He muttered out feeling just as much as a schoolgirl as he assumed he sounded. Sehun looked at him as if to say 'continue' and Jongin nearly straight up laughed at the thought, there was no way in hell was he voluntarily continuing this conversation. Who cares if he's 25? He never got to feel like a kid when he was one, he's allowed his moments now.

Sehun made a noise that was somewhere between a frustrated groan and beg for help, and under no circumstances did it go straight to Jongin's dick. "I wouldn't have stayed here this long if I didn't like you, do you seriously think I'd spend 6 months living with someone I didn't want to get to know?" Sehun scoffed. "Trust me, we'd both be dead if that was the case."

"So why do we feel like such strangers?" There it was, the question that had been eating Jongin alive for the past 132 days. But instead of a wave of relief, like all the online articles promised there'd be, an overwhelming feeling of regret washed over him. Did he really want to hear Sehun's response?

“Look, neither of us seem to be the best at opening up. And as much as I want to talk about is, because we have to, I have to finish this new proposal or I’ll get fired. Can we please finish this conversation tomorrow?”

The desperation on Sehun’s face left Jongin with a mixture of guilt and bitterness. He has no right to be annoyed at Sehun for having work to do, they aren’t close enough for that. It almost felt like deja vu as Sehun left for his room, leaving Jongin confused and unable to move.

“Hey Jongin?” Sehun shouted down the hall. “I hope last night shows we aren’t strangers!” 

A door slammed shut and Jongin mentally and physically crawled into a ball and died. (More mentally than physically. How he wished though)


End file.
